Sacramento is the first of 16 Uber cities where both car and bike services are available but bikes are more popular. The new scooter program is an alternative transportation methods are hoping to reduce carbon emissions.

With Jump bikes being introduced last spring, the bikes have generated an average of 6,500 rides daily. According to a study done by the Sacramento Bee, 53 percent of Sacramentans have rented Jump bikes over taking an Uber ride.

Uber initially bought the Jump bike brand in hopes to decrease urban congestion and when the company did so well, they were surprised. This alternative option has the potential to reduce Sacramento commute traffic.

“I think it is better to Jump bike to work not only have control of your commute but to decrease traffic congestion,” said senior Rileigh Buzzard.

Sacramento is taking a step in the direction of being more efficient in traveling. The CEO of Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi, said that Sacramento presents an example of safer and smarter ways to get from one point to another.

Many factors contribute to the reason why the capital city is so populated with these e-scooters.

“Downtown a lot of things are closer together and there are many places that are bicycle accessible in the city. The city is pretty flat and not very hilly so it’s easier to get around on a bike,” said junior Sophia Vryonis.

Although the city acknowledges that bikes help reduce carbon emissions, the city plans to propose a fee on each ride of Jump bikes that will go towards implementing more docking stations for the bikes. These stations will help prevent walkways from being crowded with parked bikes.

“I think that the fee would help clean up the sidewalks of the bikes and it would create a more balanced dynamic between walkers and bikers,” said junior Noah Vanderkar.

The Jump bike brand does have some cons being that it is more difficult to find an open bike especially when you have to locate it and then walk to find it. Although Jump is more popular, Buzzard says that unlike Uber, using the Jump app is harder than using the Uber app.

“The Jump app is more difficult to use because you have to locate where the bikes are and walk to them rather than like Uber, the ride comes to you,” Buzzard said.

The bikes cost $1 for the first 15 minutes of the ride and then 7 cents for every minutes after that. That comes out to about $4 every hour which is a reasonable amount for an hours worth of transportation. A downside to the bikes is that you must be 18 years or older to rent them.

Uber has been working to upgrade the Jump bikes with new features to make them even more successful. A phone mount was added so riders can use their phone GPS while riding around town. The brand has also increased the efficiency of the bike lock to a light cable lock which is rolled up on the bike.

The newest addition to the brand are these electric scooters which were introduced in February. These scooters are stand-up scooters with hand brakes but are not allowed on sidewalks.

Summer is coming up so it could mean that Uber’s Jump bikes will take over Sacramento. These red bikes will be filling the streets soon.